Drop-leaf table with mechanical actuator mechanism



H. M. MUTH July 8, 1952 DROP-LEAF TABLE WITH MECHANICAL ACTUATOR MECHANISM 2 S-lEETS-SHEET l Filed June 14, 1949 N E N TOR Henry M. Muh.

Attorney 2 Sl-IEETS-SHEET 2 H. M. MUTH DROP-LEAF TABLE WITH MECHANICAL ACTUATOR MECHANISM July 8, 1952 Filed June 14, 1949 NvEN-ron ry M. Mu h.

Attorney Patented .uy 8, i952 OFFICE s n 2,602,716 Y DROP-LEAF TABLE WITH MECHANICAL I ACTUATOR.MECHANSM .Y Henry lidf'lifuth, Lafleche, Saskatchewan,

, Canada` l sanitation russie, 1949, serai No. 98,901

` Y 2 Claims. y i y"This invention relates to and more particularly to a mechanically dropleaf table. Y

Drop leaf tables are not new in the art, but they generally consist of hinged leaves which are heldiin a horizontal position by 'means' of a Aarticles of furniture operated sliding support which may inadvertently ,be

pushed back and result in damages to expensive dishes or to stain expensive clothing.

My invention provides mechanical means of `raising the leaves of a table and securingsame in a raised position in such a manner that they cannot be inadvertently released.

rFurther l provide mechanical meansV of raising one or the other leaf .or .both leaves simultaneously.

The mechanical arrangement is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to produce, durable and efficient.

Broadly it comprises a tubular shaft having a folding bracket to raise one leaf, a further shaft disposed within the tubular shaft to raise the other leaf, and a crank to operate anyone of the shafts or both shafts simultaneously.

The primary object of theinvention is therefore to provide a mechanically operated drop leaf table which is efficient, durable, inexpensive to produce and easy to operate.

A further object is to provide a mechanism which is so constructed'as to permit the raising of Yf either one of the leaves or both leaves simultaneously.

With these and other objects in view that may appear while the description proceeds, the invention consists in the novel arrangement of parts as hereinafter more specifically set forth, claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings forming part of this application and in which:

Fig. l is an underneath plan view of the table showing the operating mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view showing a leaf in a raised and lowered position;

Fig. 4 is a detail of the arrangement of the shafts to operate the raising arms;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the plate to limit the travel of the shafts;

Fig. 6 is a detail of the operating crank and 2 means of hinges i3. The leaves I2 and lowered by means of a vmechanical structure. The said structure comprises apivoted support id for Vthe leaf having a portion l5 depending therefrom at right angleA thereto and mechanical means to operate the depending portion l5 to swing the support vto raise and lower the said leaf I2. y l l The mechanical means consists ofa shaft I6 extending through the frame boards i1 andv IB disposed under the table top I0 and rotatable in a bearing i9 mounted on boardll. To the said shaft is secured a crank 20 to which is pivotally secured an arm 2|. The length of the said armA Y, is adjustable by means of a turnbuckle 22. .-Atthe Y other extremity of the arm is a yoke 23 pivotally connected to a folding bracket 24. The said bracket 24 is secured at one extremity to the depending portion l5 of the support i4 and at its other extremity is slidably mounted in a groove 25 on a further bracket 26 secured to the underface of the table top IG.

The above description applies to the mechanical means for operating one of the table leaves. The mechanism for operating the other table leaf is substantially the same except that in lieu of the shaft I6 I provide a tubular shaft Ilia rotatably mounted on one end of the shaft I6 with one end mounted in a bearing plate 28 attached to; the frame member i8 and having a fiange 28' adjacent the bearing plate to limit its longitudinal movement. The inner end of the tubular shaft |696 has a crank 20a formed integral therewith which normally extends in a direction diametrically opposite to that of the crank 20. The crank 2M is connected to the table leaf by a mechanism identical to the mechanism employed to connect the crank 2G to the other table leaf. The cranks 23 and 23a are disposed in close spaced relation and projecting from the confronting faces of the cranks are lugs 2l and 27a adapted upon rotation of the tubular shaft ita to engage each other so that both the shafts 16a and IG will be rotated simultaneously, thus raising both leaves of the table together. Rotation of shaft It is limited by a plate 29 secured to the frame board Il having outwardly extending end Walls 39 which are contacted by a pin 3l secured to the shaft.

To operate the shafts I6 and Ita I provide a crank 32 formed at one end with a hollow shank 33 and a lip 34 to engage a recess 35 formed in tubular shaft la.

The other extremity of the crank is formed with a recess 36 to engage the lip 3T on the extremity are raised 7' of shaft I6 while a sleeve 38 is slidably mounted over said extremity of the crank and held thereon by means of a pin 39. When the sleeve is exn tended as shown in Fig. 6, both shafts will be operated simultaneously while if the sleeve is pushed in as indicated by the dotted lines of Fig. 6 only shaft I6 will be operated. To operate shaft Ia the extremity .33 of the crank is used :and since there is no inner recessto engage lip'31 only shaft 16a will be operated.

It is believed that the construction and advantages of the structure shown'may'beapparent from the foregoing paragraphs taken-in con'- junction with the accompanying drawings Without further detailed description.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed it is understood `that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of co-operatng parts may be resorted to within the scope of what is claimedwithout departing from 'the spirit of the "invention '1. A drop "leaf table comprising va Vftaible top, leaves hingedly'secured'to'the ends fof Vsaid table top for downward swinging movement, angular supports -pivotally mounted beneath the table top having one end secured to said leaves, lfoldable brackets having one end connected to lthe free endof saidr` supports and-their opposite ends to sa-id Ltable ltop, a rotatable shaft transversely mounted beneath V'said vtable t'op, atubulary shaft rotatably mounted on said first-mentioned shaft, cranks attached tosaid shafts 'extending in "opposite directions therefrom, rodsY lhaving one 'end pivotally connected to said cranks and their o'pposite ends to said foldable brackets, and means interconnecting said shafts for rotation together upon rotation of said shafts.

2. A drop leaf table comprising a table top,

leaves hingedly secured to the ends of said table top for downward swinging movement, vfoldable brackets connected to said f-table A" top and said leaves op'erableto swing said leaves'to a raised or lowered position, a rotatable shaft mounted trans 'versely beneath said table top, a tubular shaft rotatably-mounted'on said first-mentioned shaft,

cranks fca'rried by said shafts, rods connecting `said .cranks with .said foldable brackets, and

lm'e'ans interconnecting said shafts for movement :in 'unison upon rotation of said shafts.

HENRY M. MUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record ,in the le of Athis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

